In the wake of World War II, a lot of Nazis were left answering difficult questions. Y’know, about all those crimes against humanity they committed. At the Nuremberg trials, there was one common defense: “I was just following orders!”.
This was famously rejected by the court, which underlined the principle that individuals are accountable for their actions, even when acting under orders, especially if they know those orders are manifestly illegal or immoral.
